I want to share what worked for me when I was in almost exactly your situation! I started my benefits at 62 and was getting about $1,280/month while my husband was getting over $2,500. After reading through all the confusing information online, I decided to visit my local SSA office in person. I made an appointment online (much easier than calling!) and brought our marriage certificate, both award letters, and our Social Security cards. The representative was actually very helpful and ran the calculations right there. It turned out I was eligible for about $290 extra per month as a spousal add-on. Not huge, but definitely worthwhile! The key thing I learned is that they calculate it based on your Primary Insurance Amount (PIA) versus 50% of your husband's PIA, then apply the early filing reduction. The whole process took about 5 weeks from application to seeing the first increased payment. One tip: if your local office is busy, try scheduling for mid-week mornings - that's when I found they had the most availability. Don't let the complexity discourage you from applying. Even a smaller increase adds up to thousands of dollars over the course of a year, and you'll never know unless you apply!

I'm a new member here and going through something very similar! I'm 64 and started my benefits at 62 (getting about $1,180/month), and my husband just filed at his FRA last month. His benefit is around $2,200, so not quite as big a difference as yours but still significant. Reading through all these responses has been incredibly helpful - I had no idea about the "spousal add-on" concept or that I'd need to apply separately. I've been waiting to see if anything would happen automatically, but now I understand that's not how it works. I'm definitely going to try the online appointment scheduling that several people mentioned rather than dealing with the phone system. Has anyone had experience with how long it typically takes to get an appointment at a local SSA office? I'm in a smaller town, so hopefully it won't be too backed up. Also wondering - do they typically process these spousal benefit applications faster if you apply in person versus online or over the phone? The waiting period seems to vary quite a bit based on what people are saying here. Thanks to everyone for sharing their experiences - this community is so much more helpful than trying to navigate the SSA website alone!

I'm dealing with this exact same issue! Just turned 64 and finally got my mySocialSecurity account set up after multiple attempts, but like so many others here, there's no "Apply for Benefits" button anywhere on my dashboard. My husband started collecting his retirement benefits about 7 months ago, and I've been trying to apply for spousal benefits since I only have limited work credits from years of part-time employment. Reading through all these responses has been such a huge relief - I was beginning to think I was completely missing something obvious! It's really frustrating that the SSA website doesn't clearly explain upfront when online applications aren't available for people in our situation. Based on what everyone is saying about being under full retirement age, that definitely explains why we don't see the application option. I'm going to try that Monday morning 8 AM calling strategy that so many people have recommended. Thank you all for sharing your experiences - this community discussion has been far more helpful than anything I could find on the actual SSA website!

I'm experiencing this exact same frustrating situation! Just turned 63 last week and finally managed to create my mySocialSecurity account after dealing with verification issues. Like everyone else here, there's absolutely no "Apply for Benefits" button anywhere on my dashboard - just calculators and account information. My husband started collecting his retirement benefits 5 months ago, and I've been trying to figure out how to apply for spousal benefits since I only worked part-time for about 8 years and don't have enough work credits for my own retirement. Reading through all these responses has been incredibly eye-opening - it's clear that being under full retirement age is why we can't apply online, but the SSA website does such a poor job explaining this upfront! I was starting to think I was completely missing something obvious. Based on everyone's advice here, I'm definitely going to try that Monday morning 8 AM calling strategy that so many people have had success with. It's really reassuring to know that once you get through to an agent, the phone application process seems to go smoothly. Thank you all for sharing your experiences - this thread has been more helpful than hours of searching the SSA website!

I'm so sorry for your loss. Going through this while grieving is incredibly difficult, and you're being very wise to research everything thoroughly before making decisions. I wanted to add something that hasn't been mentioned yet - when you do finally get through to SSA (whether through traditional phone lines or services like Claimyr that others mentioned), ask specifically about "protective filing." This allows you to establish an intent to file date while you're still gathering information and making your final decision. It can protect you from losing any potential back benefits if you decide to claim retroactively later. Also, since you mentioned making $68k annually and are concerned about the earnings test, consider whether your income varies significantly by month or if you have any control over the timing of bonuses, commissions, or other variable income. In the year you reach FRA, strategic timing of when you receive certain income could help you stay under the $59,520 limit for the months before your FRA. One more practical tip: if you have access to your late husband's Social Security statement or know his earnings history, you might be able to get a rough estimate of your survivor benefit amount using online calculators before speaking with SSA. This can help you verify whether the amounts they quote you are in the right ballpark. The strategy others outlined (survivor benefits at FRA, then switching to your own at 70) does sound promising based on your situation, but definitely get those exact numbers confirmed in writing before proceeding.

I'm so sorry for your loss. Having navigated this myself when my spouse passed, I wanted to share a few additional considerations that might help with your planning. Since you're making $68k annually and planning to continue working, one thing to consider is how your survivor benefit amount might affect your overall tax bracket and retirement savings strategy. If taking survivor benefits at FRA allows you to reduce or redirect your current retirement contributions (401k, IRA, etc.) while still maintaining your lifestyle, you might be able to optimize your tax situation over the long term. Also, I noticed you mentioned your husband passed last year - depending on when exactly that was, you might have some timing flexibility for when you want to start survivor benefits. There's no requirement to start them immediately at FRA if waiting a few months works better with your work schedule or other life circumstances (though they don't grow with delayed credits like your own retirement benefits would). One more thing about the earnings test that I learned the hard way - if you have any consulting income, rental property, or other "self-employment" income alongside your W-2 job, make sure you understand how ALL of your earnings count toward those limits. The SSA counts more than just your regular salary when applying the earnings test. The community here has given you excellent advice about documenting everything and getting multiple opinions. Trust your instincts - if something doesn't sound right, keep asking until you get consistent answers from SSA representatives.

As a newcomer to this community, I wanted to share a resource that might be particularly relevant for your situation with Medicaid waiver payments. I recently helped my aunt navigate a similar issue where she was receiving payments as a family caregiver, and we discovered that the Social Security Administration has a specific internal manual section (POMS DI 10505.010) that addresses how various state Medicaid waiver payments are treated for SSI and SSDI purposes. While this is more technical than some of the other resources mentioned, it could be helpful to reference when you're speaking with SSA representatives to ensure they're applying the correct policy. Also, given all the excellent advice in this thread about timing and coordination, I wanted to mention that you might want to ask about "month of entitlement" rules when you speak with SSA or your Benefits Counselor. These rules determine exactly when your retirement benefits would begin and could affect the timing of when your daughter might be eligible to switch to DAC benefits if that turns out to be advantageous. One practical tip from our experience - when you do apply, consider asking the SSA representative to annotate your file with notes about the Medicaid waiver payment exclusion and any references to the POMS sections people have mentioned. This can help prevent confusion if different representatives handle your case during processing. This thread has been incredibly informative - it's amazing how supportive and knowledgeable this community is. Best of luck with your decision!

As a newcomer to this community, I wanted to thank everyone for creating such an incredibly comprehensive and helpful discussion! I'm currently in my early 60s and dealing with some similar benefit coordination questions for my disabled adult son, so reading through all of these responses has been tremendously educational. One additional resource I wanted to mention that might be helpful - the National Academy of Social Insurance has some excellent publications that explain Social Security benefit interactions in plain language. Their "Social Security Brief" series includes documents specifically about family benefits and earnings tests that could complement all the great technical references people have shared here. Also, based on everything I've read about the importance of timing and documentation, you might want to consider creating a simple checklist of all the steps you need to take based on this thread - things like contacting Kentucky DAIL, gathering the POMS references, setting up consultations with advisors, etc. Having a concrete action plan can help ensure you don't miss any of the valuable suggestions people have made. Your situation really highlights how complex these benefit interactions can be, but also shows what an amazing resource this community is for people navigating these challenges. The generosity of everyone sharing their knowledge and experiences has created an incredible roadmap for you. Best of luck with your decision-making process!

After reading through all the comments, here's a summary for you: 1. Yes, you qualify for ex-spouse survivor benefits at 60 (must stay unmarried) 2. Taking benefits at 60 = about 71.5% of what you'd get at full retirement age 3. Watch out for the earnings test if you're working 4. Bring death certificate, marriage certificate, and divorce decree when you apply 5. You can switch to your own benefit later if it would be higher 6. You cannot apply for survivor benefits online - must call or visit in person Hope this helps!

I'm so glad you found this community! Your situation is actually pretty common and yes, you should definitely be eligible for survivor benefits from your ex-husband. Since you were married for 18 years (way more than the 10-year requirement), you meet the duration test. A few things to keep in mind as you move forward: - You'll need to remain unmarried to keep receiving these benefits - The SSA will calculate his benefit based on what he would have received at full retirement age, not what he actually received (since he hadn't claimed yet) - If you claim at 60, you'll get a reduced amount, but you can always switch to your own retirement benefit later if yours ends up being higher The paperwork everyone mentioned is crucial - definitely have all your documents ready before you call. And don't get discouraged if the first person you talk to seems confused about ex-spouse survivor benefits - sometimes you need to ask for a supervisor who specializes in survivor benefits. Good luck with your application! This benefit can really make a difference for people in your situation.